Go for e-commerce to get even with bigger firms
Business Times, June 14 2001
Small
businesses, whose presence is constantly
under the threat of bigger entities, can
“virtually�get even at the
playing field via e-commerce, according
to eOneNet.com Sdn. Bhd. chief executive
officer Fione Tan May Yee.
“Their
website and your website is just a click
away, occupying the same space of computer
screen. It is how one make the most of
it which counts, not the size of your
business,�she told Business Times
in Kuala Lumpur.
Tan
said concerns hindering smaller businesses
from venturing online include not knowing
how to attract customers to their websites,
uncertainty over their return on investment
and jitters from the recent dotcom meltdown.
“These
concerns are real, and will be looked
into through a seminar to be organised
by us.�br>
Local
e-business service provider eOneNet.com
Sdn. Bhd. and the National Chamber of
Commerce and Industry are jointly organising
the three-day second e-business ownership
campaign beginning July 31. Tan said it
will address participants�reservations
over embracing e-commerce as well as creating
an awareness among small and medium industries
(SMIs) on the best practices to make the
most out of what they have.
“We
cannot tell you when you will achieve
profitability. Even the biggest players
on the Internet could not foresee the
date of achieving profitability, but we
know what it takes to make money and we
want to help you, if you would let us.
“For
instance, printing your website on your
business card is just another line, but
not many companies utilize this, saying
that they’re waiting until the website
is good enough. This is a waste of resources,�
Tan said.
She
noted that Internet penetration in Malaysia
is still at an early stage, among some
10 percent of the population.
“But,
if you wait until everyone else have gone
online, you have more to worry about.
For one, every good and catchy domain
name would surely have been taken.�br>
“A
domain name, although not the most important
of things, it does count and this is not
where you would want to quote a rose by
any other name,�Fione said.
She
then cited the domain name ‘business.com�
which was sold for US$7.5 million (US$1
= RM 3.80), more than a hundred thousand
times the US$70 initially paid to register
the domain name. “Having an Internet
presence is no longer just a leap of faith.
If you do not go online, your competitors
will take your market share,�Tan
said.
She
also said that the numbers of Internet
users are constantly growing worldwide.
It is estimated that by year 2002, some
490 million people worldwide will have
Internet access, meaning 80 people out
of every 1000 people worldwide growing
to 118 out of every 1,000 by year 2005.
Forrester Research has estimated half
of all online sales to be done outside
the US by 2004.
eOneNet.com
has over 100 clients from Malaysia
and Singapore and over 3,000 active
members in their system.
"Go for e-commerce to get even with bigger firms
- Business Times"
|